Sorry to hear that; it sounds like both were quite the unpleasant experience. Going on the tube in London would present quite the challenge as there are some steep escalators leading down to the trains.

I miss sitting on the balcony (preferably a sunset veranda), and reading. I miss looking up, and feeling the breeze on my face and seeing the wake of the ship as we sail along. Words cannot describe the sense of calm and relaxation I experience when cruising. I miss seeing the shore action as we dock, or the sunset/city lights as we sail away. I travel for work and so a cruise is a time to pick up a book, or just relax with no need to rush.
My husband tells me that he misses meeting new people and the energy around a ship. Many is the time that I left the balcony to join him for trivia or some other event, only to find him surrounded by new found friends and telling me he signed us up for some activity that struck his fancy.

I received a message on my webpage from a couple that started to cruise when they won a free cruise in a charity draw. It was a four day Caribbean cruise in an inside cabin and was so much fun it hooked them on cruising. I also received a message from a couple who went on a cruise as a honeymoon and had a horrible time. They were never going to cruise again but people kept telling them to give it another try. After 12 years, they did give cruising another shot and loved it. They did not elaborate on the differences between the two cruises but their story interests me. I wonder how many people would give cruising a second chance if their first experience was a negative one.

My husband and I both love cruising but interestingly enough, we like it for different reasons. I enjoy sitting on our balcony reading in solitude with no interruptions while my husband wanders the ship meeting people. We meet up for trivia and meals.

On the first couple of cruises that I took, there were the midnight buffets but I don't know when they were phased out (or have they been?). On the last 10 cruises we have been on I don't recall midnight buffets. If anyone knows if they still exist, LMK.

I recall a mixture of both. There were some actors that would be described as old school Hollywood such as Lillian Gish, Dorothy Lamour, Eddie Albert, Joan Fontaine etc. but there were also younger stars of the day such as Soctt Baio, Courtney Cox, Tom Hanks, Emmanuel Lewis, Kirsty Alley.

Just out of curiosity, was it specific (food, entertainment etc), or just general things you did not like? For example some friends took a cruise where there were a lot of children and they disliked the whole vibe of the cruise. Another couple told me that they felt the cruise line charged for every thing (ie. you could bring a bottle of wine each on board but they charged corkage fee even if you only drank the wine in your cabin and opened it yourself).

We would still take a vacation, we would simply change the trip. As much as we love cruising, we also have a number of places and trips we want to take that do not involve a ship. For example, Gros Morne National park in Newfoundland offers up stunning scenery and iceberg and whale watching is a treat. I want to go back again and that is an easy substitution. I am sure that there are a host of places people can think of that offer up attractive, fun things to do as an alternative. If a cruise really is the "want" on the birthday list, simply reschedule. Better later than never.

Along that same vein, we select our cruises on where we want to go and what we want to spend. However, if two lines offer almost identical itineraries, for a costing within +/- $250, we start to drill down into what exactly we get as perks, loyalty points, etc. It still comes down to the best deal. You raise an interesting point regarding the travel agent and your observations are bang on. Older members of my family always use the same agent while younger members of my family purchase from the agent offering the best deal.

On the theme of brand loyalty, a couple with whom we occasionally cruise, had only taken cruises with one line. After 15+ cruises with that line, they tried a different line on a cruise with us. Since then, they have only used the "new" cruise line. To their way of thinking, no point in switching again. Brand loyalty is important to them plus they feel uncomfortable with change in the way a ship might operate. However, I like the idea of trying different cruise lines to see what is on offer. How would I know if I did not try? I can ask for the opinion of others but what one person considers great, another might not like.

Cabin availability (type and location), are factors in our decision to book a cruise but I wonder how often it influences the decision(s) of others. For example, my husband, a retired firefighter, will not book a cabin that does not have two ways to exit (balcony and door). Assuming that price and itinerary meet your criteria, does anyone else decide to take a cruise based on the availability of the type of cabin or the cabin location?

Great comment, cabin availability (type and location), are big factors in our decision to book a cruise but I wonder how often it influences the decision(s) of others. I will have to start a new thread.